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Monthly Archives: February 2012

Happy Mardi Gras…Yes, here in the New Orleans area and the Gulf Coast it’s Mardi Gras (Carnival) time, and it’s just one continuous party…We’ve just returned from Washington DC where I coordinate all of the music for the three day Krewe of Louisianan’s Washington Mardi Gras Ball…It is quite a party and is held in the Hilton Washington Hotel where we squeeze 3,000 people into the ballroom every evening…I’ve been doing this for decades and never get tired of it as all of our friends from Louisiana are here so it’s like being home, only somewhat colder…

My performance last August with the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra was really great and this October we’ll return to perform with them in Taiwan as well as in Beijing…A few other cities are being negotiated also…Last September 1st I performed with the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra and it was a blast…It was the 50th Anniversary of this fine orchestra and was held in the theater of the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino and what a theater it was…Some other memorable repeat performances were Rock Springs, WY…The 11th year in the past 12 to perform for them…Great family of friends…add to that Oberlin, KS two years in a row and Goldsboro, NC our second time there…It’s great to returning to these concert associations as it’s always like family when we return…There are so many more, but these small ones are always so personal for us…

In early December we did Christmas New Orleans Style in the St Louis Cathedral. What a marvelous place to do a Christmas show…Coming up will be the French Quarter Festival with my septet plus John Perkins of Crew Cut Fame in Jackson Square on Saturday April 14th at 12:30 PM…

Four major events are happening in the next six weeks…On March 23rd Our Granddaughter Melita on Gardner’s side of the family is getting married here in our backyard…Fortunately Doree and Mike her parents have spent the last year getting our yard ready for this BIG event, and it looks fantastic…Melita husband to be is Matt Dupre, who is a fireman and a wonderful person…

The next day I’ll be performing at Nichols State University here in South Louisiana. Not too far a drive…My daughter Rhonda graduated from there so it’ll be like returning home…

A week later will be our 20th annual Jazz on the Bayou fundraiser which is also held in the backyard of Chateau Kole, our home on Bayou Liberty…It’ll be held on March 31st and April 1st with many great chefs, fantastic bands, auction items and so much more…We’ve given over a million dollars to charities in our area…For more information and pictures, go to our website… www.JazzontheBayou.com

On April 7th, I’ll be inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and to say that I’m humbled would be putting it mildly…The induction will be held at New Orleans Music Legends Park where my life size statue is standing…Other statue’s are Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Fats Domino, Chris Owens and Louis Prima…As you can see, I’m in great company…If you’d like to attend the Hall of Fame induction, go to my website www.RonnieKole.com to get the information. As it comes in I’ll have it posted…

I really need your help on this one…I’m in a contest called “Real Men of St Tammany Parish” (Counties in other states)…People are asked to vote online at www.safeharbornorthshore.org and click on the Real Men link…You can pledge $5.00 or more and the person that raises the most money is the Real Man… Most importantly is the money goes to Harbor House which is a domestic violence program and shelter for woman and minor children…If you have a mind to, please donate to my name as I’m falling behind in the $$$$’s… I need your help…

I get so many email’s asking how my wife Gardner is doing, well Gardner and I have been getting out more often doing the local restaurant scene and she has also accompanied me on a few out of town concerts with a nurse to help while I’m performing…She is improving and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel…April 3rd, 2010 is when this stroke happened and it’s amazing how much she has improved…Yes, it’s been almost two years…

I’ve been so busy that I have fallen behind in my issue’s of Kole Notes…Please forgive me, as I promise to get back on track and keep them coming every three months or so…

Thanks for your sincere interest in Gardner and also to my career and big hugs and all that Jazz from the two of us…and don’t forget to vote as I really need to win this competition…